Selective signaling means.



J. MoFELL. SELECTIVE SIGNALING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1910.

1,095,655. Patented May 5, 1914,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l'l l 12 I IIIMIIIM v J. MOFELL.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1910.

Patented May 5, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. McFELL.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1910.

1,095,655. Patented May 5, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J UDSON MoFEIiIi, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING MEANS.

Application filed July 27, 1910. Serial No. 574,158.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jonson MGFELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Selective Signaling Means, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates toimprovements in selective signaling means, such for instance as may be employed in conjunction with telephone apparatus, in order that the station of some desired party upon a line common to a number of parties may selectively be called, to the exclusion of all others.

The general object of my invention is to provide a signaling system, whereby a selector device at any one of a plurality of signal receiving stations on the line may selectively be caused to condition for operation an annunciator at that station in response to the transmission over the line wire of signaling impulses grouped to constitute a plural digit number signal for which the selector is structurally set.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide in such a system a selector containing a step up device which advances and dwells in harmony with the impulse groups and dwellsbetween impulse groups. occasioned in the line by the transmitting apparatus, and containing electrically operated controlling means to condition the annunciator for operation only as a result of dwells between impulse groups coincident with critical positions of the step up device,

Many other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 shows in front elevation a selector' apparatus, in connection with it'swiring diagrammatically indicated. Fig. 1, is a small wiring diagram. Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an isometric detail of the selector apparatus; Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 2, and; Figs. 5 and 6 are a section on line 55 of Fig. 1, and a perspective detail respectively, showing fragmentary parts of the selector apparatus.

In Fig, 1, of the drawings, 10 and 11 indicate line. wires, forming part of the signaling circuit, which is herein illustratively shown as a normally open circuit, such as may conveniently be used in a train despatchers telephone-signal system, wherein the transmitting apparatus is located at one station only.

12 indicates a source. of current supply for the line wires, and 13 indicates in general a transmitter. The transmitter is shown only diagrammatically in Fig. 1, details of a construction suitable 'for employment being shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 556,404, filed April 19, 1910. The transmitter apparatus, shown in Fig. 1, comprises a line I switch 14, normally open, and controlled by a signal wheel, 15, having a suitably notched periphery into the notches of which the long arm of the switch, 14, may descend to close thecircuit, said wheel standing normally inposition to raise the arm of theswitch and open the circuit. The wheel 15 may be driven by any suitable clock-work mechanism, or other motor device, arranged in the casing 16, the arrangement being preferably such that the wheel 15 makes one complste revolution for every signal transmitte Spacers l7 and 18 are provided in arrangement to be shifted upon the wheel to close any desired notch thereof, such spacers being shiftable by handles 17 and 18'. In the arrangement shown the spacers, 17 and 18, are respectively arranged to close the 5th., and 10th., spaces ofthe wheel, so that when the latter is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, four notches pass the switch 14, then spacer 17 holds the switch open during the passage of the arc of one notch, then four more closures of the switch occur, then the switch is again heldopen by the second spacer 18, then an arbitrary group of closures of the switch 14 occurs, this being the arrangement appropriate to send the code number 44,

In general, therefore, it will be observed, that the transmitting apparatus can preferably be of a motor driven construction which may be set to send any code number within an appropriate range, such number preferably consisting of a plurality of impulse groups, the unbroken series of impulses of each grou const-itutin a digit corresponding with t e number of impulses thereof, and each digit group being fol lowed by a dwell or cessation of the impulses, and the number signal followed by an arbitrary series of impulses, making the total quantity of impulses some definite amount.

It will become apparent that the device might be operated with an ordinary teleo' aph key as a transmitter, but owing to the fact that the i' time interval between impulses is of importance in the operation of the selector device at the signal receiving stations, a motor driven transmitter is greatly to be preferred on account of the regularitv of its spacing of impulses in the transmission of digit-groups.

It will be understood that by the term impulses as herein employed, l mean such impulsive changes in the condition of the line as may actuate appropriate electro-responsive devices, such as an electro-magnet; and it will further be undestood, that the showing of the devices as applied to an open circuit system is made for simplicity only, without intent to limit the application of my invention to the particular wiring arrangement shown.

At each subscriber s station l provide a selector, generally indicated at 20, and as part of such selector apparatus l provide an electro-responsive impulsereceiving device, as an electro-inagn-et, 21, shown as bridged on the line, responsive to the current inn- 'DUlSGS therein. The electro-magnet 21 in tie embodiment herein shown has its ture 22 connected. to a pivoted bell crank lever :23, the long arm of which carries an actuating" pawl, 2 a ratchet wheel, 25, constitutine" primary step-up controller device, or moving; part oi l the selector, the pawl 524tbeine: so arranged that when the armature 22 is retracted, stands out of en- ,vga ment with the teeth of the ratchet,

ratchet wheel shaft is mounted inhearinns in a suitable base plate, 2'6, and bracket arm, 2 acted upon by return springer, 8, the wheel bein acted upon. by a holding pawl, $9, pivotaliy mounted, hava tail portion. 2-9 and. dep ndbelow its pivotal. I a pin v, I i the release operation permit SEGllRlIQ return of the ratchet may be efifected, A inaf er described The an uiciator appar ll, to be mor 'N 1\ L 1 h so ti it each.

J. i v lliilfttOl cent, oiling, when t .ll one ior w r, set. 1" ur' the seconc means is ed for control cal timing receiver, so the eleetro-r oeaeea with the attainment of the critical position of the step-up device 25 is prerequisite to each functional operation of said governing at 35, to the long arm of the bell crank le-' ver, 23. The arm, 34:, normally stands in such position that it may freely move below and out of contact with the finger 33, but its elevation is controlled by a lever 36 bearing at its end a wheel, 36, upon which the arm, 3 1, rests, said lever 36 being rigidly connected for movement with a secondary step-up device or ratchet-sector, 3. pivotally mounted between the base plate 26, and the bracket, 2?. This secondary-step-up ratchet, 37, stands normally in a position governed by contact of its stop pin 38 with the bracket 27, and is preferably provided with two teeth for an active pawl, and suitable teeth ior a retaining pawl. l he active pawl, 40, is carried by an arn'iature lever, illi, weighted at ll for gravityretraction, ha ing opposite extremity an armature 4-2 for a controlling electro-magnet, 43, and a holding pawl, is mounted between the plate and icl zet and normally moved to con operation by the line magnet, functionally positioned only by a plurality of etc governing}; ratchet, 37, and the latte. ated by the controlling magnet, only .en ll ees coincide first. contact 48 is four steps removed from the normal position of the moving contact, 47, and the contact 48 is four steps removed from the first said contact, 48. As a matter of convenient construction, I make the contact members, 48, 48, and 49, in the form of long spring fingers, mounted in electrical contact with each other and with the plate 50, all insulated from the supporting -post, 51, projecting from the bracket, 27. The plate 50 is of sector form, provided with notches, 53, in its periphery, arranged to be engaged by tongues, 54,'upon their respective contact member 48, 48' and'49. As the notches 53 in the construction shown are arranged proportionately to the teeth of.

the ratchet 25., the contacts 48 and 48 may readily beadjusted to positions corresponding with different desired numbers and when once adjusted will remain fixed in position by reason of the engagement of tongues 54 with the notches 53.

I also provide for the secondary controller a timing means functionally responsive to dwellsin the operation of the impulse receiver, and to this end I arrange in the cirwhich in turn is connected by wire 62 witha connecting bar, 50, connected to and preferably formed' integral with. the plate 50, themovable contact 47 on the wheel having connection by wire 63 with the switch spring 58 of switch 56, the stationary contact, 57, of said switch having connection by wire 64 to the remaining terminal of battery 60.

The secondary, or controlling magnet 43 is preferably a slow-acting, or sluggish coil,

- requiring for its energization the application of current-"for a. relatively great length of time, sayby way of example, an eighth of a second. It will, therefore, be apparent that in order that the magnet 43 may effectually be energized the battery circuit 60, 61, 62,

i 63, 64, must be closed and remain closed for say an-eighth of a second, these conditions necessitating that moving contact-47 of the step-up wheel'25, be in cotiperating position with respect to one of its stationary contacts 48, etc., and that the switch 56 shall coincidently remain closed for the critical time. Now, it may be explained, the transmitter is run tosend impulses at the rate of say eight a second, so that whenever one of its notches is filled by a spacer 17 or 18, and fails to permit the closure of the circuit, a break in the-impulse series of more than an eighth of a second duration occurs. Consequently, as long as an uninterrupted series 'of impulses constituting a number digit are in transmission over the line, the armature lever 23 of the electro-responsive device 21 vibrates at the rate of approximately eight times a second, and; the switch 56, closed only at the extreme end of the excursion of the lever 23, is opened during the greater part of each such impulse period. In consequence it will appear, so long as an uninterrupted series of impulses is transmitted over the line from one of the timed transmitters, no magnet 43 at any station can effectively be energized, because, although at one or all of the stations contact 47 may make connectioniwith contact 48 and 48 during the time of transmission of such uninterrupted series of impulses, the switch 56 does not stay closed at any time for a period of suflicient duration to enable the magnet 43 to become effectively energized, so long as there is no dwell or interruption, in the impulse series. If, on the other hand, at the time when contact 47 stands in engagement with one of its stationary contacts, the impulse'series is interrupted and a dwell occurs in the operation of the electro-responsive device ata signaling station, the switch 56 is closed for the relatively long period of a little more thanone impulse space, and this, as above T explained, is sufficient to permit the battery '60 effectively to energize the magnet 43,

through the circuit- 60, 62, 63, 64, including the closed switch 56, and including also a closed connection between movable contact 47 and its cooperating stationary contact. It will be seen that by the simpleexpedient of making the magnet 43slow-acting'l make itnon-responsive to abbreviated closures of switch 56, and so can operate without mechanical retardation of the back stroke of the armature lever 23, the present arrangement being chosen for its simplicity.

In general it will be seen that witl1 the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, the transmission of a signal 44 will result. as follows: As the first four impulses act upon the electro-responsive device, 21, its armature lever, '23, and live pawl 24 steps forward the ratchet wheel, 25, four steps, thereby positioning movable contact, 47, to cotiperate .vith stationary contact 48. Then occurs a lwell, or interruption, of the impulse series lue to the passage of the spacer 17 beneath the switch 14. During the dwell the armature lever 23 stands in the position shown in Fig. 1 closing the switch 56. These conditions result in the energization of the controlling magnet 43 through the circuit 61, 62, 63, 6 4, heretofore described, and consequently said magnet 43 attracts its armature 42, the lever 41 whereof, through pawl 40, advances a secondary ratchet 37 one step. This advancement of the ratchet 37 raises may the arm 36 somewhat, but not enough to produce any functional results. Following the dwell occasioned by the spacer 17, a second series of four impulses occurs, and accordingly the ratchet 25 of the station apparatus is advancedin the manner before stated, to bring contact e7 beneath the second station ary contact member 4-8, and here again a dwell occurs due to the passage of spacer 18 past the switch 14. During this second dwell the magnet as is again energized, and again the secondary ratchet 37 is advanced a step. This second advancement of the ratchet raises lever 36, so that the arm 34: is elevated to bring its finger 3% into its operative plane in register with the lower end of finger 38, of the bell clapper. Following this-second dwell occur a series of arbitrary impulses, each of which occasions the vibration of armature lever, 23, and consequently causes armature lever 3-l to move the finger 33, thereby to ring the gong with each impulse. The total number of impulses transmitted is sutlicient to bring the movable contact t? of the ratchet 25, into engagement with the stationary contact 49 and then, as the impulse ceases altogether by reason of the transmitter coming to a standstill, the magnet 43 is a third time engaged, this time for releasing purposes.

To release the holding dog for the primary step-up device 25, I provide aflnook member pivoted to the armature lever ll, standiug normally with its stop end 71 holding it in position such that its hook end '72 stands below the pin 29 connected with the holding pawl, 29. The lower face of said member 70 is so shaped as to receive and be lifted by a roller 73 carried by the wheel 25, during the steps which accompany the arbitrary.

impulses of the signal transmitted, such raising of the member 70 throwing its end 72 into operative engagement with the pin 29. Consequently, when following the arbitrary impulses which have brought this engagement of parts 72 and 29 about, the armature lever 41 moves to the right the hook 70 moves the pin 29 to the right, throwing the pawl 29 to releasin position, and so permitting the ratchet w eel 25 to return to normal position under the influence of its spring. As the pawl 29 is thus thrown to inoperative position, its tail 29 is engaged and locked by gravity latch 75, carried by the frame, and the pawl is main tained latched in inoperative position until the pin 76 carried by the wheel 25 strikes the latch and moves it to releasing position just as the wheel 25 reaches its normal or initial position. The wheel 25 likewise carries a small gravity trigger, 77, which in the forward rotation of the wheel has its weigh ted extremity, 77, pass idly by the tail 44 or holding pawl 44 for the secondary ratchet,

66 but on the return movement of the ratchet mo est wheel 25, this trigger end 77, strikes the tail 44; of holding pawl at and thereby releases the secondary ratchet "for gravity return to initial position, so effecting complete restoration of all of the parts to normal position. after the transmission of the signal.

in order to provide simple means available where desired to enable the signaling party todetermine whether the annunciator at the particular station which he is calling is being duly operated, I provide answerback means as follows: Upon the arm 34- I provide a projection 80 to cooperate, but only when the arm 34 is raised, with a switch 81 to close said switch on the back stroke or retraction of the armature lever, 23. One member ofthis switch ll'wirc as at 82 to a suitable battery, 82, andthe line 10. The battery 82 may be the transmitter battery of the telephone apparatus (not shown) at the receiving station, or any other battery may 'be used. The other member of the switch is connected by wire 83 with a stationary contact point 84:, suitably disposed to cooperate with a series of contacts 85, carried in insulated fashion by the wheel. 25, and having connection by wire 86 through a resistance coil 87 to the wire 11 of the line. The contacts may be arranged appropriately to represent the number of the station to which its selector responds, and such contancts 85 are disposed so that they ooperate with their stationary contact 84 during the period of time when the arbitrary impulses are being transmitted. These contacts 85 may be arranged so that those constituting a digit are spaced apart by an arc corresponding with say two teeth of the ratchet 25 or any othendesired regular number of teeth, the distance between the groups representing digits of course being greater. Now it will be seen that at'the station w ere the series of impulses is causing the p eration of the annunciator, and at that station only, the battery 82 is caused to impress its potential upon the line during each return movement of the armature 23, which occurs with the closing of the switch contacts 84 and 85. 0bviously, this potentiation of .the line at the time when the line circuit is broken at switch 14, may be detected in a telephone receiver operatively connected in the line, as diagrammatically indicated at 90 in Fig. 1*. Obviously, the answer-back feature is a refinement which may be omitted if desired.

Many of the broad ideas embodied in the apparatus herein shown and described are likewise shown and are broadly claimed in co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 556403 and 574157 but What ll herein claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is; i

1. Selective signaling means comprising in combination, a primary electro-responsive device having an armature, a step-up mech anism advanced thereby ina series of equal steps, a secondary-electro-responsive device, a part moved thereby through a plurality of steps, a signaling means controlled by said plurality of steps of said secondary device, and means controlling said secondary electro-responsive device comprising switch means operated in successive positions respectively of the primary step-up-mechanism, and another switch-means controlled by the armature of the primary electro-responsive device.

2. Selective signaling means comprising a part to'be moved, an annunciator controlled by said part, a secondary electro-responsive actuating means to efl'ect a plurality of movements of said part to dispose it for op eration, a primary electro-responsive device having a vibrating armature part, a stepup device actuated thereby, and controlling means for the secondary electro-responsive actuating means comprising a plurality of switches closable by the step-up device in different number-indicating positions and a switch controlled by the position of the vibrating armature part-of the primary-electro--resp r-sive device.

3. Selective signaling means comprising a part to be moved through a plurality of steps, a secondary electro-responsive means for actuating said part successively through its steps, a primary electro-responsive means, a step-up device operated by said primary electro-responsive means to advance step by step, appropriate circuit connections for said primary and said secondary responsive means, and means responsive to successive predetermined positions of the step-up device, and to duration of the dwells of said primary electro responsive means when said step-up device is in said positions,- controlling the successive operations of the said secondary electro-responsive means.

4. Selective signaling means, comprisinga part to be moved, a primary electro-responsive device, stepup means operated thereby, secondary electro-responsive means for moving said part to be moved through a plural; ity of steps, a switch controlled by the primary electro-responsive device, regardless of the position of the step-up means, other switches controlled by successive positions of the step-up means, and circuit connections for said secondary electro-responsive' positions of said step-up device, said secondary means-including a moving part aeting, upon a plurality of operations, to move the first mentioned movable part to its position for operation and means controlled by said vibrating partand in turn controlling said moving means.

6. The combination of a primary electroresponsive device, a step-up device, arranged for operation thereby, a secondary electroresponsive device, a circuit therefor controlled in part by the position of the step-up device and including contact devices arranged to be changed from normal relation at a plurality of positions of the step-up device respectively, switching mechanism in said circuit timed by the operation of the primary electro-responsive device, and working parts operatively associated with said secondaryresponsive device to be conditioned for operation by a plurality of operations thereof.

7. The combination of a primary magnet,

having a vibrating armature, a secondary slow-acting magnet, a switch controlled by the operation of said armature of the rimary magnet, a step-up device controlled by said armature, switch means controlled by said step-up device and arranged for operation at successive points respectively in the movement of said step-up device, a circuit for the secondary magnet including said switches, and mechanism arranged to be conditioned for operation by a plurality of operations of the secondary magnet.

the secondary magnet controlled by said step-up device.

9. Selective signaling mechanismcombining a. primary magnet, having a vibrating armature, a switch arranged to be closed only when said armature is in one extreme of position, a step-up device for actuation by said armature, switching mechanism arranged to be closed a'plurality of times during a movement of said step-up device, a

secondary electro-magneha circuit therefor including both the armature-operated switch and the switching mechanism of the step-up device; and a working part controlled by the secondary electro-magnet'.

10. Selective signaling means comprising rently by the switch means associated with the step-up device and the switch associated with the primary electro-responsive device and a part to be moved associated with said secondary electro-respo-nsive device.

11. Selective signaling means comprising an impulse receiving magnet, a step-up device actuated thereby, an annunciator, a part movable to position to operate the annunciator from said magnet, and electro-responsive means for moving said part to said position controlled by said step-up device.

12. The combination of a movable part to be positioned for operation, secondary electro-responsive moving means therefor operable through successive steps to position said partrforits operation; a single step-up roac es device controlling said moving means to permit.movement thereof only in certain successive positions of the step-up device, a vibrating part for actuating said step-up de vice, primary electro-responsive means for actuating said vibrating part, said secondary electro-responsive moving means responding only to dwells in the primary electro-responsive device and including means controlled by said vibrating part and in turn controlling said moving means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

J UDSON MOFELL. lln the presence of# MARY F. ALLEN, W. LINN ALLEN. 

